Sean's Blog

The Saratoga Special. Year 24. No. 20. August 31, 2024.  Arthur’s Ride and Neil Poznansky made the cover before the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Quietside led a Spinaway preview. Millie Girl featured in a Flower Bowl preview. Miuccia starred in a Prioress preview. West Hollywood won the Saranac. Zulu Kingdom … Read More

Mortal Sin picked up 10th winner of the year for Riverdee with a game score at Delaware Park Wednesday. Trained by Danielle Hodsdon, the son of Solomini switched back to the dirt after rain forced the race to come off the grass, found a comfortable spot, took over leaving the … Read More

Time to regroup after a disappointing week. Roja Redemption did far too much for far too long and wound up third in the Michael G. Walsh Memorial Novice Stakes Wednesday. The 5-year-old suffered from heat issues immediately after the race. Thank you to the NYRA vets and their team, he … Read More

Here’s today’s Cup of Coffee from The Saratoga Special. Have horse, will travel  “Where he sends horses, I go.” That’s about as simple as Chris Connett can make it on his role as Charlie Appleby’s traveling assistant. The 41-year-old ventured to Saratoga with Godolphin’s El Cordobes and Nations Pride for … Read More

Old valets. Young valets. American valets. European valets. An Australian valet. Champion trainers. Claiming trainers. Assistant trainers. Jockeys. Retired jockeys. Jockey’s kids. A two-time champion steeplechase jockey. A mailman. Turf writers from five, maybe six decades. Broadcasters. A daughter. A son. A wife. In laws. An old white-cap friend from … Read More

As you may have guessed, The Saratoga Special has consumed some of my attention, especially on this blog. A few updates on the racing front. Jhirsch finished seventh at Saratoga Sunday. A disappointing run and we’re not exactly sure why. We’ll regroup. Koru finished seventh at Colonial Downs and was … Read More

Charlie Fellowes paused from packing for a trip to Portugal. The British-based trainer fired up At the Races from his sitting room near Newmarket to watch Luther run in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga Friday.  Like watching a drivers’ ed video … Read More

Are you going to be jockeys? “Yes. Yes. Maybe.” That’s how the three young riders answered the first question Tuesday morning.  I can’t remember which one said maybe. Doesn’t matter.  Cassie Lively, Eric Vergara and Sofia Villacres arrived in Saratoga Monday night. Part of the annual young riders’ trip sponsored … Read More

Stewart and Lilibeth Elliott pulled their son’s 2010 Toyota Tundra into a little gas station off the highway last Thursday. Somewhere near the New York border, on their way from Kentucky to Saratoga, they cued the third race on the phone and watched the Rick Violette Stakes.   “People were looking … Read More

Programs People bring us stuff. A lot of stuff.  A dart board. Coffee cake. Brownies. Pennyrile from West Sixth. A Glenn DiSanto pin. A Rick Violette webbing. A win picture of Au Point in the 1983 Dwyer. Paintings of Devil His Due and Man o’ War. A cardboard sign that … Read More